(This product was given to me by the company in exchange for an honest review on this blog website. All opinions in this blog are strictly my own.)
Here is my update from the second week of using HCF Happy, Calm & Focused. Each week I am reporting on my progress with the product, and any changes that I am seeing in the areas that I outlined in my first post about this project, HCF Happy, Calm & Focused.
First of all, I am still seeing minor improvements (so far) with memory loss. I have been concerned with the typical “brain fog” associated with menopause – the added second it takes for me to recall someone’s name, a phone number, the perfect word for which I am searching, etc. It’s not obvious to others, and I know they aren’t aware of any delays in my thought processes. But I am aware of it – I know the difference in how I used to react and how I sometimes have to search for a word or a name.
I still have times when it feels like I am thinking at half speed … but then recently, l notice that at other times I am recalling things even quicker than usual. Still some work to be done in this area, but there are improvements being seen.
The biggest improvement I am seeing is in the area of sleep. It has been a little slower than I had hoped, but over the past few nights the quality of my sleep has improved. Over the past few years, it’s become harder for me to stay asleep at night – only sleeping for about 4 hours, then having a hard time falling back to sleep and only dozing for the rest of the night. Both sleep time and quality have suffered for a long time. But for the past two nights I have slept a full 8 hours each night (as opposed to sleeping 8 hours spread out over two nights. I haven’t awakened at every little sound, and then spent the next hour trying to fall back to sleep.
It’s been amazing! I can’t believe the difference in how I feel after a full night’s sleep.
I forgot what it feels like to feel fully rested in the morning! And now I remember how good it feels, and how much energy I have in the mornings when I sleep well the night before.
Come to think of it, I think the good sleep may be attributed somewhat to an improvement in my stress levels, too. I am more relaxed at work, and enjoying my job even more. Some of that may be due to the fact that I am getting more comfortable with my new job, and learning my way around the procedures more efficiently. But I think the two are related; I am less stressed, so I retain information better and learn quicker – which lowers my stress level and increases my satisfaction with my new job.
I mentioned the two key amino acids (F – Phenylalanine and Q – Glutamine) in my first post, and neurotransmitters in my second post ( HCF Happy, Calm & Focused Week #1 ). So here is a little more information about those two amino acids and how they relate to the functioning of your brain, taken from the company’s brochure.
- F – Phenylalanine is an essential amino acid, meaning that if your brain is not receiving it from your diet, then you brain isn’t getting what it needs to make the neurotransmitters that cause you to feel happy, loving and motivated.
- Q – Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid and a major precursor for the neurotransmitter GABA, or gamma amino butyric acid. It is especially important when the body is subjected to stressful situations. It has been stated that when there is no GABA, there is no calm and no sleep because the brain will not “turn off.”
Here are some symptoms of low or imbalanced levels of neurotransmitters:
Feelings/Emotions: depression, loss of interest, apathy, anxiety, nervousness, fear, agitation, irritability, anger, peevishness
Physical Signs: stress related illness, premature aging, fatigue, sleep disorders, eating disorders, cravings for alcohol, mysterious aches & pains, headaches, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, altered sexual drive, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders
Any of these symptoms listed above may signal that you are short on the F&Q amino acids that your brain needs to properly function.
Stay tuned as I give weekly updates on the changes I am seeing! 🙂